"Don't worry," Hui reassured them calmly. "I've already arranged for a request for support to be sent. Konoha's reinforcements should be on their way soon."
His words brought a slight sense of relief to Suihei and Mina, though both still felt uneasy.
Learning of such a large alliance against them was deeply unsettling. The sheer number of villages working together against a relatively small nation like Uzushio felt unfathomable.
"I still don't understand why all these villages would unite against us," Suihei muttered, frowning as he turned to Hui, hoping the young strategist might offer some insight.
From their earlier conversation, Suihei could tell this young ninja had sharp instincts, perhaps even sharper than his own.
Hui met his gaze thoughtfully, his expression turning serious. After a moment, he replied, "The tailed beasts."
"Tailed beasts?" Suihei repeated, understanding only partly but sensing something significant behind Hui's statement.
"Yes, the tailed beasts. More accurately, the technique to control them effectively through seals. Haven't you noticed? Among the hidden villages with Anbu now in Uzushio, Suna controls the One-Tail, Kumo controls the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails, Kiri has the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, Iwa holds the Four-Tails and Five-Tails, and Takigakure possesses the Seven-Tails.
"In other words, every village with tailed beasts has sent their Anbu here—except for Konoha. This suggests they're here to acquire sealing techniques that would allow them to control these powerful creatures."
Hui's analysis continued, "It's been eight years since the villages have seen peace. There are those who are growing restless, beginning to desire conflict again. And with the tailed beasts as potential weapons, some villages may see war as inevitable."
Suihei hesitated, then shook his head. "But the Uzumaki clan doesn't even possess such a perfect sealing technique. Our control methods aren't guaranteed for every tailed beast."
"I believe you," Hui replied, nodding. "But what matters isn't what's true—it's what the other villages chose to believe. And perhaps they aren't just here for the tailed beast seals. They could also be targeting your other sealing techniques, as well as Uzushio's resources.
"Your country has become prosperous and stable, perhaps even on par with the Land of Wind. And if some factions are pushing for war, Uzushio's wealth would be a tempting first conquest."
Hui's explanation struck Suihei deeply, leaving him momentarily speechless before he sighed, acknowledging the truth.
It was as Hui had said—Uzushio, affluent but without the strength of a great power, was an easy target.
After a long breath, Suihei turned to the guard outside his office. "Call a meeting with all the village leaders in one hour!"
….
Meanwhile, deep within the Land of Whirlpools, in a secluded area, a secret meeting of foreign leaders was already underway.
Gathered around a circular table sat a group of famous figures from the ninja world.
"To think we'd all actually coordinate like this," said Ōnoki, scanning the others at the table with a sense of irony. "Even during the last Shinobi War, we all fought Konoha independently."
"Enough small talk. Let's get to the point. Once we take Uzushio, how will we divide the spoils?" Ai, the Raikage-in-waiting, demanded impatiently.
"We each take a share of the tailed beast sealing techniques," proposed the future Third Kazekage, seated across the table. "After that, everything else is up to our own efforts."
"Agreed. Each village claims what they can by their own strength," the Third Mizukage added with a nod, endorsing the Kazekage's plan.
"Then it's settled," Ōnoki agreed. He trusted his abilities to secure a fair share of the spoils.
"So, let's talk strategy," Ōnoki continued, his tone shifting. "How should we approach the attack on Uzushio?"
"We could simply advance from separate directions," Ai suggested bluntly. "Against a small village like Uzushio, even half of the forces we've gthered would be too much. They won't be able to put up much of a fight."
He sounded confident, given their formidable gathering: four Kage-level leaders, a dozen elite jōnin, and scores of additional skilled ninjas. With that much strength, even a fortified Uzushio seemed trivial.
"True, Uzushio itself can't stand against us. But don't forget—Konoha's Anbu are already here, and with them, Konoha's infamous 'Konoha's Ghost,'" Ōnoki reminded the group, thinking back to his own encounter with Hui three years ago, his face darkening.
Ai raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So, the rumors are true—you lost to that boy, didn't you, Ōnoki?"
"Indeed, I did," Ōnoki admitted without hesitation. "Three years ago, he was just twelve, yet he had already reached the strength level of a Kage. Who knows how much he's improved since then?
"In this operation, we should all stick together. Remember what happened during the last Shinobi War. We don't want to end up like that again."
The others fell silent, briefly recalling the decisive role that Tobirama Senju's tactics had played against them during the last conflict.
The Kazekage frowned. "Senju Tobirama's success was due to his Space-Time Ninjutsu and his Reanimation Jutsu. I doubt the Konoha's Ghost has mastered both."
"True," the Mizukage agreed. "If Hui had mastered those techniques, Konoha would be unstoppable. The Flying Thunder God alone was nightmare to face." He still remembered vividly the terror of facing Tobirama in the past and had no wish to encounter a similar foe again.
"Perhaps not," Ōnoki conceded. "But don't forget: in six years, Hui rose from a fresh genin to Kage-level. In three years since, he could have easily gained other abilities or even mastered entirely new techniques. None of us truly knows his current strength."
Privately, Ōnoki harbored no desire to face Hui alone.
If their forces ultimately divided, he would ensure Iwagakure's troops attacked from a different angle than Hui's position. Though his pride was stung by his earlier defeat, he had no intention of underestimating Hui's strength now.
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